Seeking help in Washington

Monday

Apr 29, 2013 at 3:44 PM

Louisiana faces a tough prospect: The federal government has extended the National Flood Insurance Program, but changes to the program threaten to place it out of reach to many of the people and businesses it is designed to help.

Louisiana faces a tough prospect: The federal government has extended the National Flood Insurance Program, but changes to the program threaten to place it out of reach to many of the people and businesses it is designed to help.When Congress approved the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of 2012, it kept the flood insurance program alive. That was an essential development for the nation’s millions of coastal residents and businesses.Unfortunately, as FEMA has implemented the new law, it has announced large, sweeping premium increases that could make the insurance unaffordable for many and almost certainly much more expensive for all.The Louisiana congressional delegation was in a situation where the members all but had to support the act, which extended the flood insurance program and also passed the Restore Act. The Restore Act contains provisions for sending much of the BP oil spill fines to the states most heavily affected by the spill.Those lawmakers, though, have said the flood insurance extension did not require the drastic changes being imposed.“They’re not treating local governments and citizens fairly,” said U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Metairie. “The flood insurance program needs to be solvent and fairly administered but in a way that still allows families to have access to flood insurance.”And that is the challenge we now all face.Scalise and his colleagues from Louisiana have promised to do all they can to get some federal help in that process.He and other members of the House, along with U.S. Sens. Mary Landrieu, D-New Orleans, and David Vitter, R-Metairie, say they have asked FEMA to make the changes it must make to abide by the law in a way that will still allow coastal residents to purchase the coverage that can mean the difference between being able or unable to rebuild the next time a disaster strikes.This is a change that could have far-reaching consequences if it is allowed to remain as it has been announced so far.Not only could it drive coverage out of reach, but it could also have severe fallout on the real estate market since banks and mortgage companies require flood coverage as conditions of mortgages on flood-prone properties.How this dilemma is resolved will have a great impact on coastal Louisiana’s future. Our congressional delegation must do all it can to make sure we can continue to live and work in south Louisiana.

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